SC's decision should act as guidance for nation: Trupti Desai

Updated: Oct 24, 2016 18:03 IST

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], Oct. 24 (ANI): Bhumata brigade chief Trupti Desai on Monday said that the Supreme Court's decision should act as a guidance for the nation to allow the entry of women in all temples.

Speaking to ANI, Desai said, "Those trustees who opposed our movement and did not allow us to enter the dargah, they had to bow down in front of us. The decision of the Supreme Court should act as an inspiration for the nation and to all temples where women are dishonored and not treated at par with their male counterparts"

"When we will receive the dates of Haji Ali, we will let you know. We will begin our rally from the place where we were stopped," she added.

Urging the trustees of the Sabarimala temple to allow the entry of women, the Bhumata brigade chief said, "Our next movement will head to Sabarimala Temple. I request all the trustees of the temple to allow the women to enter, otherwise we will protest for it in the last week of November,"

"The way public has supported us, the same role is of our nation's media. I am grateful to the media as it is their success also which eventually helped our voice reach the public," she told ANI.

The Haji Ali Dargah Trust imposed the ban in 2012 citing religious traditions. The dargah authorities defended the ban, saying the entry of women in close proximity to the tomb of a male saint would be seen as a grievous sin in Islam.

The trust had claimed that separate arrangements have been made for women to walk up to a certain point from where they can offer prayers.

The ban is contrary to Articles 14, 15, 19 and 25 of the Constitution of India.

Prior to 2011, the dargah did not discriminate against women and allowed free entry of people across religions. On March 2011, the dargah's board of trustees imposed a ban on women's entry, calling it a "grievous sin".

The Supreme Court had earlier on October 7 stayed the entry of women in Haji Ali Dargah till October 17 after the dargah management said that it would come out with a progressive stand in two weeks.

Earlier on August 26, the Bombay High Court lifted the ban imposed on women from entering the inner sanctum of Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai.

Noorjehan Fiaz and Zakia Soman, founders of the Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA), had file a petition in the Bombay High Court against the ban, calling it unconstitutional. (ANI)